In the finals played at the Olympic School Tennis courts here today, Istomin scored a 6-4, 6-3 thumping win over 170th ranked Zopp in just over an hour.

Such was Istomin’s supremacy that he hit as many as 10 aces in the match, in the first set saw both players hold on to their serves till four games all. Istomin hung on to his 9th service game despite of being down 3 break points and went up 5-4.

Istomin hit 2 solid forehand down the line winners on Zopp’s serve, and a double fault from the Estonian saw him lose his service in the 10th game to give Isomin a 6-4 first set win.

In the second set Istomin gave no chance to Zopp who looked beaten all ends, Istomin got the all important break in the 8th game of the second set to go up 5-3 and serve out solidly to wrap up the match and win the title which eluded him two years ago.

"I feel very good with this win, I’m enjoying this moment. This win will take me into the top 60. Winning two big challengers back to back has given me the much needed confidence for the future," said an elated Istomin speaking after the match.

"I’m thankful to Uzbekistan tennis federation for organising this event and, many challengers in Uzbekistan and also our Davis Cup captain Peter Lebd for helping out during the week."

Speaking of his highest ranking last year and then the injuries which kept him out of tennis for couple of months, Isomin said: "He wanted to play less and play smart and better." Istomin who will be playing at Kuala Lumpur next week said: "He would be carful of not repeating the same mistakes in future, of playing tournaments with injuries, as he had done last year."

Estonia’s Jurgen Zopp who fell to Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan in the finals at Ningbo Challenger in China last week said: "I knew Istomin had a good serve, his game was of much higher standard, even one bad game is enough to see you beaten".

"I was broken just once in both sets, but it was enough, for me to lose," said Jurgen. "The more matches I will play with players of higher level, will help me to become faster,” he added.

"I came to Tashkent sick and with low expectations, but leaving the city as a finalist and moving into the top 150 are the biggest positives I will take back," Jurgen summed up.

Istomin won 125 ATP points and prize money purse of $18,000, while Zopp who lost his second consecutive final made 75 ATP points and $10,600. While these rankings are expected to put Istomin into the top 60 bracket, they will rocket Zopp into the top 150 bracket when the rankings are announced next week.

The trophies of the event were given away at the hands of the acting Mayor of Tashkent Rakhmonbek Usmanov, the president of national Olympic Committee Malik Babaev, ATP Supervisor Hans Jergen Ochs were also present on the occasion.